Governor



Patented Oct. 24, v1944 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOVERNOR w Arnold n. Hoppe, Greensboro, rnd. Application September. 3, 1943, Serial No. 501,064

(ci. 12s- 102) 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to governors, primarily for internal combustion engines, and particularly intended for controlling the operation of such engines when installed to drive automotive vehicles. 'I'he invention constitutes an improvement upon the invention disclosed inl my co-pending application Ser. No. 439,684, filed April 2Q, 1942, Iona governor. The invention therein disclosed has been found to be highly eicient and in most respects entirely satisfactory when used in connection with the engines of heavy duty vehicles such as trucks and busesin which the ratio of engine power to vehicle weight is relatively low. However, when the governor of my said co-pendin'g application is installed to control the engine of a passenger automobile, in which the ratio of engine power to vehicle weight is relatively high, it has been found that the said governor ofmy said copending application acts in such a' fashionvthat its influence upon the engine is felt too suddenly by occupants `of the vehicle, tending to produce sudden and jerky deceleration or acceleration.

l Therefore, while the primary object of my' invention is to produce an automatic governor operable to control the supply of motiveV iluidto an internal combustion engine or the like, and

particularly to the power plant of an automotive vehicle, to limit the rate of operation of that power plant in response to variations in speed of a moving part of the vehicle, a further object of the invention is to provide an improvement upon the invention disclosed in my said copend--A ing application, of such character as to smooth out the operation of the governor whenthe same is installed to control the relatively high poweredengine of a relatively low-weight vehicle,

such as a privately owned passenger car.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment4 of the aboveand related objects, my invention may be embodied ,in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however,

that the drawing is illustrative only, and thatl change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated. Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevation illustrating one manner of installation of y,my governor unit, and showing the unit itself in transverse section;

in a section perpendicular 'to the plane .of the section of Fig. 1; and y Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan of a detail.

I have indicated by the reference numeral I0 the fuel pipe through which mixed fuel flows from the carbureter of a combustion engine to the cylinder of such engine, but it is to be understood that the pipe I0 may alternatively represent the conduit for conducting any motive uid to any type of engine. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is inserted in the pipe I0 a unit II formed with a passage I2 therethrough registering with the passage I3 of the pipe I0. Mounted to control the flow of fluid vthrough the passage I2 is a butterfly valve I4,

unit II, and a lever I6 is likewise fixed to said shaft, a coiled spring I1, wrapped about the shaft I5, having one end connected to the lever I6 and its other end .abutting against a suitable base, whereby said lever I6, and therefore the shaft' I5 and valve I4, are resiliently urged toward counter-clockwise movement tending to open the passage I2. A set screw I8 is suitably mounted to limit the clockwise movement of the lever I6, to prevent complete closure of the pas- Fig. 2 is a partly diagrammatic view, showing i the circulating system and certain details of the controlling means for the governor,- illustrated sage I2, in accordance with standard practice.

I have shown a lever I2 mounted upon the shaft I1 and connected thereto by a spring I9', the connection being 'such that, when such motion is otherwise unresisted, swinging movement of the levez` I9, to be controlled through a suitable rod '20, will be transmitted in either direction to the shaft I5.

A housing element- 2I is formed with a shank having an axial bore 22 therethrougnand is suitably secured to the unit II, said housing ele-- ment preferably providing a portion enclosing the lever I6 and that portionof the shaft Ii upon which said lever is mounted. At its opposite end, the element Iv is formed to provide a concave bell 23 flanked by a perimetral ilange 2l. An annularrange-25 provides a continuation of the bore 22 within the chamber 26 formed in the element 2i, and a spring 21 is received in said chamber 26, being coiled about the flange 25 for a purpose later to appear.

A second housing element 28 is formed at one end to provide a concave bell 20 ladapted to mate with the bell'23 and flanked by a perimetral ilange 30. The flange 20 is adapted to be connected to the flange 24, in mating relation, by screws 3I, or other equivalent fastening means. A flexible diaphragm 32 is mounted with its body portion located within the chamber defined be-I tween the bells 23 and 29, and with its perimetral portion clamped between the flanges 24 and 30.

It will be obvious that the diaphragm 32 is so mounted that its body portion may be shifted between the position illustrated and a position in which said body portion is substantially in engagement with the inner face of the bell 29. Thus the body portion of the diaphragm 32 forms the movable wall of a variable-volume chamber I. A

Penetrating the mid portion of the diaphragm body is a plunger 33 carrying a washer 34 abutting the left-hand surface of said diaphragm body. A second washer 33, preferably of greater extent, is mounted upon the protruding portion of the plunger'33 in engagement withv the Jrighthand surface of the diaphragm body, so that it of the inlet conduit which communicates directly with the chamber 5I.

A nipple 52 is4 threadedly received in they threaded portion 41 of the chamber 46 and supports a shell I3 which carries a solenoid coil 54 and which slidably receives the core of said solenoid. Said solenoid core 55 is reciprocably slidable upon the stem 56 of a valve 51, said core beinglimited', in its movement with respect to V said valve stem 36, by said head 51 and a stop will be obvious vxthat the washers 34 and 35 cooperate to support the plunger 33 upon the dia* phragm body. Threadedly secured to the protruding end of the plunger 33 is another plunger 36 which is reciprocably mounted in the bore 22 of the first housing-element 2l, and which protrudes from said bore into cooperative relation with the end of the lever I6. The relationship between the diaphragm 32, plunger 36, and lever IB is such that, when the diaphragm is in the position illustrated, the plunger 36, will'positively hold the lever I6 in its extreme Aposition of clockwise rotation, in which position the valve I4 is in its substantially closed position, in which it permits the passage of only so much motive fluid as is necessary to maintain the power unit in idling operation.

It will be seen that the spring 21 abuts the washer 35, thereby urging the diaphragm 32 toward its position in substantial contact with the inner face of the bell 29, which is the position of minimum volume of the chamber 6I. When the diaphragm 32 is in the. latter position, the plunger 38 will have been moved far enough to the left from its illustrated position to permit movement of the valve I4 to its full open position, in response to adjustment of the rod 20. But the parts are so proportioned that, when they are in the last-described positions, movement of the diaphragm 32 toward or to the D0- sition illustrated will cause the plunger 36 to `ensage the lever I8 to swing the same in a clockwise direction toward or to its illustrated position, thus tending to reduce the rate of now of motive fluid through the passage I2.

The element 28 is formed to provide an exhaust conduit leading from the chamber 3l, said conduit comprising a portion 31 which is coaxial or paraxial with the bore 22, and a portion 38 opening through a lateral branch of the element 28 and communicating with a conduit 39 which leads to a reservoir 40 which may be the crank case of the internal combustion engine. A (Herein, I use the word "paraxial to mean parallel with the axis of;) I have illustrated said crank case and its associated parts quite diagrammatically. The reference numeral 4I indicates the .usualoil pump mounted in the lower portion of the crank case 40, while 'thereference numeral 42 indicates. the standard oil circulatingy conduit.

-Connectedintothat conduit 42 1 have shown a T coupling 43 providing a branch conduit 44 which leads to the "end of one portion 43 of an inlet conduit connecting said.A pump 4I with the washer 58 secured to theupper end of said stem. The valve 31 is adapted to seat upon, and close passage through, the valve seat 48, said valve being normally gravity-biased to passageclosing position. It will be obvious, however, that energization of the solenoid coil 54 will lift the core 55 to disengage the valve 51 from its seat 48 to open communication between the pump 4i and the chamber 5I.

It will be perceived that the plunger 33 has a portion disposed, and slidably received, within the outlet conduit portion 31;,- and that the crosssectional area of that portion of said plunger 33 is only slightly less than the cross-sectional area of-the conduit portion 31. Thus, although the total cross-sectional area of the conduit portion 31 is substantially the same as that of the inlet conduit portion 50, so that said two passage portions may be formed by the same drill, the effective area of the conduit portion 31 is very greatly restricted, with relation to the eifective area of the conduit portion 50.

Thus, when the valve 51 is open, fluid will flow into the chamber 5I very much more rapidly than it can escape therefrom.

I have illustrated an energizing circuit for the solenoid coil 34, comprising a wire 63 leading from ground to said coil, and a wire 30 leading from said coil through a speed responsive unit 6| and thence to one side of the usual storage battery 82, and so to ground. The speed responsive unit 6I may be a switch of any desired characteristics and including a rotor and switch mechanism adapted to bel automatically closed when the rotor attains a predetermined, and preferably adjustable, rate of rotation. The rotor may be driven by a shaft carrying a beveled gear 64 meshing with a beveled gear 35 upon a shaft B8 connected to any rotating element upon the vehicle. I"l'hus, if the shaft 33 is connected to be driven by a -rotating element somewhere between .the engine and the transmission, it will be clear nected to be driven yby some element beyond the transmission, the governor will be responsive to variations in vehicle speed.

Assuming the parts to be in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be clear that the illustrated condition has arisen by the fact that the element 33 has attained the predetermined maximum speed for which the unit 6I has been set, whereby the valve i1 has been lifted from its seat and the diaphragm 32 has been forced into its illustrated position tozclose the valve4 I4, 'whereupon the critical speed has been reduced below the predetermined value, whereby the solenoid coil 34 has Just been deenergis'ed to permit the mined by the effective area of the conduitportion 31 as restricted by the plunger portion 33, through the conduit 3l, 38, 39 to the reservoir 40, such iiow being caused, of course, by movementv of the diaphragm 32 toward the left under the influence of said spring 21. If the rod 20 is allowed to remain in its illustrated position, such movement of the diaphragm, accompanied by withdrawal of the plunger 36, will not affect the position of the valve I4. because the rod 20 will hold the lever I3 against movement from its illustrated position. But if the rod 20 is now moved, or has previously beenl moved, to a position farther to the left than the illustrated position, such retractile movement of the plunger 35 will be accompanied by counter-clockwise movement of the lever I6 and valve I4, under the influence of the spring I1, until the valve I4 attains the ropen or partially-open position for which the lever I9 has been s et by the rod 20.

Movement toward the leftv of the diaphragm 32 will continue (assuming that the valve 51 remains closed) until the washer 34 cornes into contact with the inner face of the bell 23.

If, now, the controlling element connected to drive the shaft 65 again attains a speed beyond that for which the unit'BI is set, solenoid coil 54 will again be energized and the valve 51 will again be opened.' Oil, under the pressure generated by the pump 4 I, will thereupon flow through the conduit 44 and 45 to the chamber 46 and thence throughv the port 49 and passage" 50 to the chamber 5I. Since the effective area ofthe inlet conduit is materially greater than the effective area of the restricted outlet conduit, oil so supplied will accumulate in the chamber 5I under a pressure suicient to overcome the tendency of the spring 21, whereby the diaphragm will be Amoved toward, and ultimately to, the position illustrated, thereby shifting the plunger 35 to the right and causing clockwise movement of the lever I6 and valve I4.

It willbe clear that, in actual operation, if the lever 20 is held to a position such as to tend to hold the valve I4 open far enough to cause-the speed of the shaft 66 to exceed, continuously, the

predetermined maximum, the engine will con.

tinue to operate under the sole domination of the governor unit. .That is, as the selected speed is slightly exceeded, thevalve v51 will be opened to admit oil tothe chamber 5I.I Oil will accumulate in that chamber relatively slowly because of the continuous bleeding of oil from the chamberthrough the restricted outlet conduit. As the valve I4 is moved by the plunger 35 toward closed position, the speed of the engine willbe gradually reduced, whereby the speed of the shaft 66 will be correspondingly reduced; and as the speed of the shaft 56 falls below the predetermined speed, the coil 54 will be deenergized to permit closure of the valve 51. Immediately, the supply of oil to the chamber 5I is cut off, and the diaphragm 32 begins to move toward the left at a rate determined by the'rate ofl bleed of oil from said chamber 5I. Thus, the valve I4 will begin to open gradually, whereby the speed of the engine, and the speed of the shaft 66,'Will be graduallyv increased until the .selected speed of the unit 6I is reached. whereupon the coil 54 will again be energized to open the valve 51, and the direction oi' movement of the diaphragm 32 will be reversed.

. It' has been found, in actual practice. that, under 'the conditions described, the engine speed will, after a few such fluctuations, vibrate so very slightly between a value lust above .the predetermined rate and one just below the predetermined rate that it will appear to the occupants of the vehicle that a constant speed is being maintained. In fact, tests indicate that the governor oi' the present application will cause the engine of an' ordinary kpassenger car to maintain a more nearly uniform speed than can be maintained by the average driver, controlling vehicle speed through the use of the standard foot accelerator.

It is my present belief that the highly satisfactory results attained by the governor of the present application are due primarily to the vuse of liquid under pressure, as distinguished from compressible air, as the motive medium for the diaphragm, and to the concept of permitting the liquid, supplied at a relatively high rate to the chamber 5I when the valve 51 is open. to bleed from that chamber fat a relatively low rate, under the iniiuence of the relatively heavy spring 21. i l

I claim as my invention:

1. In a governor for the engine of an automotive vehicle, a fueli-delivery passage for said engine, a valve in said passage for controlling the flow of fuel therethrough, and means for con,- trolling the position of said valve comprising a variable-volume chamber having a movable wall biased toward minimum-chamber-volume position,'a source of liquid under pressure, a conduit connecting said liquid source with said chamber, a second valve controlling liquid flow through saidconduit and biased toward flow-preventing position, a restricted exhaust conduit leading from said chamber, speed-responsive means opflow-permitting position, and means providing an operative connection between said movable wall and said first-names valve for moving said rstnamed valve toward passage-closing position upon expansion of said chamber.

2. In a governor for v'the engine of an automotive vehicle, a fuel-delivery passage for said engine, a valve in said passage for controlling the'ow of fuel therethrough, and means for controlling the position of said valve comprising avariable-volume chamber having a movable wall biased toward minimum-chamber-volume position, a source of liquid under pressure, a conduit connecting said liquid source with said chamber, a. second valve controlling liquid ow through said conduit and biased toward flowpreventing position, a restricted exhaust conduit leading from said chamber, electric means operable, upon energization, to shift said second valve to flow-permitting position, speed-responsive means'dominating an energizing circuit for said electric means and operable, at times, to

close said circuit, and means providing an 4op verative connection between said movable wall and said first-named valve for moving said firstnamed valve toward passage-closing position upon expansion of said chamber.

3. For use with a valvear'ranged to controlthe flow of fuelv to the engine of an internal combustion engine, a variable-volume chamber having a` movable wall, a source of liquid under pressure, a conduit connecting said source with said chamber, a second valve positioned to control 4flow through said conduit, a restricted pas- 4 assi sage for exhausting liquid from said chamber, means providing an operative connection between said movable chamber wall and said fuel-controlling valve to convert chamber-enlarging movement of said wall into flow-limiting movement of said valve, and means for operating said second valve.

4. For use with a valve arranged to control the flow of fuel to the engine of an internal combustion engine, a variable-volume chamber havopening said second valve. v

5. In a deviceof the class described, a first housing element comprising a shank having a bore therethrough and further providing a concave bell at one end thereof flanked by a perimetral flange, a second housing element formed to provide a mating concave bell at one end thereof flanked by a corresponding perimetral flange, said second housing element being further provided with an inlet conduit and with an outlet conduit having a portion coaxial with said bore, a flexible diaphragm having its perimetral portion clamped between .said flanges and .its body portion positioned within lthe chamber defined by said heus, a plunger operatively connected to the body portion of said, diaphragm and movable therewith, said plunger being reciprocably received in said bore, a second plunger operatively connected to the body portion ot said diaphragm andmovable therewith, said second plunger being coaxial with said first-named plunger and having a portion reciprocably received in said coaxial portion of said outlet conduit, the cross-sectional area of said second plunger being only slightly less than the crosssectional area oi said portion of said outlet conduit, a source oi' liquid under pressure communicating with said inlet conduit, .and means for controlling liquid flow from said source through said inlet conduit to said chamber.

6. In a device of the class described, a first housing element comprising a shank lhaving a bore .therethrough and further providing a concave bell at one end thereof flanked by a perimetral flange, a second housing element formed to provide a mating -concave bell at one end thereof flanked by a corresponding perimetral flange, said second housing element being further. provided with an inlet conduit and with an outlet conduit having a portion coaxial with said bore, a flexible diaphragm'having its perimetral portion clamped between said flanges and its body portion positioned within the chamber dened by said bells, a plunger operatively connected to the body portion of said diaphragm and movable therewith, said plunger being reciprocably received in said bore, spring means in said ilr'st housing element and urging said diaphragm body portion toward the bell of said second housing element, a second plunger operatively connected to the body portion of said diaphragm and movable therewith, said second plunger being coaxial with said first-named plunger and having a portion reciprocably received in said coaxial portion of said outlet conduit, the cross-sectional area of said second plunger being only slightly less than the cross-sectional area of said portion of said outlet conduit, a source of liquid under pressure communicating with said inlet conduit, and means for controlling liquid flow from said source through said inlet conduit to that -40 portion of said chamber defined betweenthe diaphragm and the bell of said second housing element.

ARNOLD F. HOPPE. 

